Coriopth
by Diane J M Johnson
Summary: Kirk & crew are transporting a young lieutenant, fresh out of Starfleet Academy, to her first assignment: a world on the far rim of the galaxy whose inhabitants are described as "little purple boxes with yellow arms & legs."  One shot short story.


CORIOPTH

_CAPTAIN'S LOG, STAR DATE 5763.1_

_Following R & R in the Orion star system, the _**Enterprise**_ received orders to proceed directly to Earth Colony Seven to pick up a recent graduate of Starfleet Academy, Lt. Terri Tremaine. Lt. Tremaine has been assigned to the planet Coriopth, in the far reaches of the galaxy, as their first Federation historian. We should reach Coriopth within ninety Earth days of our departure from the colony._

As the sparkling of gold ceased, Capt. James T. Kirk approached the transporter platform to greet his lovely new passenger. "Welcome aboard the _Enterprise_, Lieutenant Tremaine. On behalf of the crew, may I extend to you our fondest hopes that you will enjoy your voyage with us."

"Thank you, Captain Kirk," replied the shapely, blue-eyed blonde. She managed a half-hearted smile, but that was about it.

Even though his face didn't show it, Kirk was concerned. Something was obviously wrong. The lieutenant was fresh out of the academy, assigned to a planet on the outer rim of the galaxy, and yet she didn't seem at all enthused—or even in the least bit interested.

"Our chief engineer, Commander Scott, will show you to your quarters," said Kirk. "Scotty . . ."

"Aye, Captain," replied the commander from where he stood behind the transporter control panel. "It'll be a pleasure." Kirk smiled whimsically and left the room. Lt. Tremaine approached the control panel and looked at Mr. Scott with some curiosity.

"Where do you come from?" she queried.

Scotty was taken aback. "Why, from Mother Earth herself, o' course! Did ya no' know?"

"I thought you must be," the lieutenant replied, "but from what land?"

"Scotland, o' course. Aye, a green land with heather and rollin' hills."

The doors swooshed open before them, and Scott motioned for the lady to exit first. As they approached the turbolift, Scott asked, "And where might ye be from, lass?" The turbolift doors opened and the duo went inside. "Deck five," the commander said.

"Earth Colony Seven," was the aloof reply. "Not a bad place if you don't mind living on the bare necessities."

"I kinda get the feelin' you're no' too happy with yer life as 'tis," commented Scotty.

The lieutenant frowned. "Except for Earth, I hate every planet on which I have ever set foot, Mr. Scott. I enjoyed my time at the academy. I want to _return_ to Earth. I want to live there permanently—to work there and to study there. I want to discover the beginnings of human life."

"And ye have no great love for Coriopth?"

"Love?—Coriopth? How could I love a place that's so . . . remote, so isolated from everything to which I am accustomed? I do not relish the thought of spending the rest of my working years—and possibly my life—writing the history of a bunch of little purple boxes with yellow arms and legs. That's what they are, you know, the Coriopthians. They don't even have a head! Their faces are on the tops of their little square bodies." She shivered in evident revulsion.

As the lift doors opened, Scotty said, "I do no' blame you for the way ya feel, lass. If you've a mind for further discussion, I've a bit o' time for listenin'."

She nodded. "Is this where I am to stay?" she asked as Scotty stopped in front of a door.

"Aye. As good o' quarters as any aboard the _Enterprise_. Shall we go in?"

Lt. Tremaine smiled and opened the door. Scotty followed her inside and waited patiently for an invitation to sit down; he didn't have to wait long. "Please, Commander, do be seated. You needn't stand on protocol."

"'T'isn't protocol on which I'm standing, miss. 'Tis simple good manners."

After he had seated himself on the one and only chair in the small room, Lt. Tremaine sat down on the edge of the bed. "How long have you been working on the _Enterprise_, Mr. Scott?"

"Half of her lifetime, lass," Scotty replied. "I was still a tad at the academy when she was first launched. That was a good many years ago, and I'm of no mind to go datin' myself."

Lt. Tremaine smiled, a warm, genuine, heartfelt smile. "You're delightful, Mr. Scott." She was then very serious once more. "Perhaps I can trust you with my innermost feelings."

"Now, you needn't be tellin' it all to me, ya know. There are other persons on board the _Enterprise_ who—"

The whistle of the intercom broke into Scott's sentence, as if to emphasize the very thought that he was about to express. Lt. Tremaine looked at her visitor with mild dismay as she pushed the button on the intercom. "Lieutenant Tremaine," she said simply.

"_This is Captain Kirk," _said the voice over the intercom. _"Is Commander Scott still with you by any chance, Lieutenant?"_

Scotty, looking a bit distraughtly at the lady, answered for himself. "Aye, Captain. I'm here."

"_Well, Scotty, if you're convinced that the lieutenant can sufficiently settle into her new quarters without your assistance, we could use you up here on the bridge. One of your delicate little circuits just blew."_

"On my way, Captain," said the commander with a sigh. "Well, lass, as ya heard, I must be goin'. You just keep your chin up and I'll see if I can't do something to help cheer ya, eh?" He took her chin in his hand and lifted her head ever so slightly. "Now, don't go havin' any cryin' spells while I'm gone, will ye?"

A smile crept across the lovely lips once again. "I promise," she replied. "Not a tantrum or a fit of any kind."

"That's a good lass." Scotty dropped his hand and left the room.

"Well," said Kirk, as his chief engineer stepped off the turbolift and onto the bridge, "you and the lieutenant must've been having quite a stimulation conversation."

"That we were, Captain. She's a most unusual young lady. Pity to see one so young and pretty so verra unhappy."

At that moment, the turbolift doors opened again, and Dr. McCoy arrived, uninvited, on the scene. He was just in time to get into another debate with Spock.

"Unhappy?" queried Spock in regard to Scott's comment about their passenger. "Why should the lieutenant be unhappy, Mr. Scott? Reason would assume that she would find life among the Coriopthians most stimulating. It is my understanding that they are unique in the galaxy, and that they are capable of many things of which humanoids have never even dreamed. I cannot find any logic in being unhappy about a prospect such as that."

"Well, _I_ can," declared McCoy. "I've been looking at library tapes on Coriopth ever since we got to Colony Seven, and I can't say as I blame the girl. Those creatures are positively hideous! I just came from the lieutenant's quarters. She's all right _physically_, but I'm worried about her mental state."

"I see know reason why you _should_ be, Doctor," said Spock.

"Fortunately for the girl, _you're_ not the doctor—_I_ am. And she can be as illogical as she pleases. It's her human right. In any case, have you seen what those Coriopthians look like, Spock?"

"Indeed, Doctor, I have. Fascinating creatures."

"She still said she wasn't happy about the idea o' spendin' the rest o' her life among little purple boxes with yellow arms and legs," spoke up Scotty from where he was stopping on the floor, making the necessary repair.

"I can't say that I blame her!" exclaimed McCoy. "I wouldn't want the job myself—no matter how 'fascinating' or 'unique' they might be."

"Doctor," returned Spock, "there is much more to a Coriopthian than meets the eye. They are singularly rare in the universe. . . ."

"If you're so fond of 'em, Spock, why don't you trade places with the girl? I'm sure you could find enough fascinating things about Coriopth to keep you busy for the rest of your long Vulcan life."

"Gentlemen, please!" broke in the captain. "Let's not get into an argument about our new passenger's state of mind. To ascertain whether she is indeed as unhappy as Mr. Scott and the good doctor would have us believe—and, if so, to learn the _real_ reasons why—I shall go and speak to the young lady myself." He rose from his chair, walked commandingly to the turbolift and barked, "Mr. Spock, take the con. If anything unusual should happen, notify me at once."

"Yes, Captain," said Spock. He then took his seat in the command chair.

"Come in," replied Lt. Tremaine to the knocking upon her door. "Oh! Captain Kirk. I thought perhaps it was Mr. Scott. Is he still occupied?"

"Uh, yes, as a matter of fact, he is. But I'm here because of something he told me. Mr. Scott informs me that you're unhappy about your assignment to Coriopth. Is that true?"

"Is Commander Scott in the habit of lying, Captain?"

"No, of course not. I just thought that he might have misunderstood or misinterpreted what you said."

"No, Captain, there was no misunderstanding. I do not wish to go to Coriopth. I would as soon die!" The lieutenant then cast herself upon her bed and began to sob.

Kirk sat down on the edge of the bed and began to caress her hair. "There's nothing to get so upset about. If you're really that profoundly against it, I'm certain we can arrange with Starfleet Command to have you reassigned. Where _would_ you like to go?"

"Earth," came the simple reply, as the lieutenant stopped crying and turned around to sit up.

"Why Earth?" the captain asked.

"Roots, Captain. My grandparents were from Earth. They used to talk about it all the time when we went to visit them on Earth Colony Three. . . .

"You see, my parents were born on Colony Three, where my grandparents went after they were married. My parents married on Colony Three and moved to Colony Seven, where my father worked on the dome-city life support systems. Every six months we visited my grandparents, and they had hundreds of book-films about Earth.

"Think of the history, Captain!—especially that of the United States. My grandfather lived and worked in Washington, D.C. I want so much to see the Smithsonian, the National Mall and the Library of Congress. . . . Oh, there's so much I could learn on Earth!—and even _more_ history being made there, constantly—more than any other place in the galaxy. But I'm forced to go to Coriopth or to be dishonorably discharged."

Kirk was visibly stunned. "Dishonorably discharged? But why?"

"It's Admiral Benton of the old Alpha Centauri fleet. Do you know him, Captain?"

"Yes, I know _of_ him—his reputation. Besides being a forceful commander, he is reputed to be a bit hard-nosed."

"Precisely; and when his mind is made up . . . well, pity yourself if you disagree with him."

"He assigned you to Coriopth?"

"Yes. I had the utmost desire to fight the assignment, but I didn't dare."

Kirk looked at Lt. Tremaine intently as he asked, "Why were you afraid to fight the assignment?"

"My first year at the academy, I had a terrific roommate—Bess Walters. She was a year ahead of me. We studied together often, and she taught me all of the dos and don'ts of academy life, if you know what I mean." She paused and Kirk nodded, a wistful smile crossing his lips, as though he were remembering. . . . Yes, academy life did take some getting used to. It helped to have an older friend to help you learn the ropes. . . .

"Anyway," continued the lieutenant, "Bess was also studying to be an historian. She wanted to go to Hermes IV, but the admiral assigned her to Alpha Centauri. Bess had studied the language and the dialects of the Hermes star system throughout her entire stay at the academy. Her greatest dream was to study their history and record their present-day activities. Because she had minored in computer technology, however, and because the Alpha Centaurians were short a computer technician, the admiral decided to send her there. When she fought the assignment, declaring herself an historian and not a computer tech, Admiral Benton lost his temper and said, 'My brother has just passed away. He was the technician whose place you would have taken on Alpha Centauri. If you believe yourself too good to fill his shoes, you can just leave the service. You are hereby discharged. Don't bother to attend this evening's graduation ceremonies.'

"After that, I knew I'd have to reconcile myself to some place other than Earth. I prayed for a year that the old man would die, or become extremely ill, or something. Morbid of me, I know; but poor Bess! How could I allow myself to end up discharged like she was, after all those years of dedication and study? You see, Captain, they needed an ambassador for Coriopth more than anything else, but none of the desk jockeys available knew the language. Since I had studied Coriopthian on the side and minored in sociology, they thought I was the best choice. Perhaps I am, but I should think that my _feelings_ would could for _something_. I always thought that the Federation was dedicated to _freedom_. . . ."

"By golly, Lieutenant," said Kirk, "you're going to Earth if I have to bend every rule in the book, pull every string I can find and call in every favor anyone in Starfleet Command owes me. I only hope I can find someone else who speaks Coriopthian and is willing to take your place." The captain was at the door and letting himself out before Lt. Tremaine could utter a word in reply. "I'll get back to you later," he said, just before the door slid shut behind him.

The moment Kirk stepped onto the bridge, Uhura hailed him. "Sir, there's a message from Starfleet Command coming in."

"Put it on speaker," barked the captain as he took the seat the Mr. Spock had so quickly and graciously vacated.

"_Captain Kirk, this is Commander Tunney on Starbase 15. We have just received word that the Coriopthians hare severed all relations with the Federation. Your mission to carry Lieutenant Tremaine to that planet is hereby aborted. You will instead deliver the lieutenant to this starbase, where she will be given a new assignment. Tunney out."_

Kirk felt jubilant. "Scotty, did you hear that?"

Mr. Scott rose to his feet, closed the door on the electrical panel on which he had been working for the last hour and smiled. "Aye, Captain, I heard. The lass'll be pleased."

"Well, then, Scotty, would you care to accompany me to the young lady's quarters and share the good news with her?"

Mr. Spock raised a slightly incredulous eyebrow. "Captain, I do not see how the breaking of relations with the Coriopthians is cause for celebration."

Kirk's smile dimmed ever so slightly, and Scotty looked at Spock sourly. "No," replied Kirk, "I guess you wouldn't; but then, you're not Lieutenant Tremaine, and you don't have a woman's emotional and illogical nature. Thank God for that!"

"Indeed, Captain. I do not see that the matter has anything to do with Deity. Obviously there are many genetic factors involved which—"

"Captain," interrupted Lt. Uhura, "Lieutenant Tremaine requests that you to come to her quarters—alone—as soon as it's convenient for you to do so. She says it's urgent."

Kirk turned toward Scott in mild dismay. "Well, Scotty, I'm sure she'll see you, too, in her own due time. Lieutenant Uhura, tell the young lady that I'm on my way. Mr. Spock, take the con again, if you please. Scotty, get back to engineering and see if you can't make yourself useful."

"Aye, Captain," came the unison reply, as the doors to the turbolift closed in front of Kirk once more.

The door to Lt. Tremaine's quarters opened automatically when Kirk arrived, so he walked right in without knocking and stopped abruptly in his tracks, turning ghostly pale.

"Do not let my natural appearance deceive you, Captain Kirk," said the little purple box with yellow arms and legs, talking through the mouth on the top of its body. "I am the creature you know as Lt. Terri Tremaine. My _real_ name, however, is Teraminnor. I am a Coriopthian. Be so kind as to close the door. I do desire some privacy until I have explained my presence aboard your vessel."

Kirk turned around, closed the door, and then sat down—without even thinking of protocol—on the chair next to the vanity. His mouth was still slightly open.

"I see that you are disturbed by my appearance," said the creature called Teraminnor. "I am sorry. I shall change myself back into Terri Tremaine, if that is what you wish."

"No, no!" sputtered Capt. Kirk, finally regaining his composure. "It's just that . . . I had no idea Lt. Tremaine was—I mean that _you_—were a Coriopthian."

"I quite understand your amazement, Captain. You see, among other abilities, we Coriopthians can become any life form we desire . . . but _only_ life forms; we cannot become inanimate objects.

"When we do become a different life form, we are that kind of life form from head to toe. If you doubt my word, ask Dr. McCoy. He has examined me. He will tell you that I am, as Terri Tremaine, one hundred percent human. Amazing, is it not?"

"'Infinite pleasure in infinite diversity,'" mumbled Kirk, "and you live it every day!"

"Not precisely, Captain. We must have a purpose for changing our form. It is not a gift that we use indiscriminately. Otherwise, it would become abuse."

Kirk nodded. "Yes, I can see that. But you still haven't explained what you're doing on board the _Enterprise_ and why you found it necessary to become a human female—and a Starfleet Lieutenant, at that."

"I really _am_ a Starfleet lieutenant—in the form of Terri Tremaine, at least." Seeing the puzzled and confused look on Kirk's face, Teraminnor continued, "You see, a few of your Earth years ago, two of my fellow Coriopthians and I left our home aboard vessels from each of the three major powers in this galaxy: Ytrewda went with the Klingons, Gortubin with the Romuluns, and I with a Federation vessel.

"Coriopth, Captain, is not actually a planet. It is a living entity that would die; or, in the sense of a star or a planet, it would go nova without us to keep its life support system running. We Coriopthians are the heart, lungs, cells, tissue . . . the living fiber of Coriopth. It exists; and we exist to maintain, care for and support it. And, just as you humans have an outer layer of skin—the epidermis—Coriopth has an outer layer of . . . protective coating, let us say. That protective coating is one hundred percent dilithium crystals, which are, in reality, what we become when we . . . die.

"Vessels from your Federation and the two Empires have been making periodic trips to Coriopth for decades in order to collect dilithium crystals. Of course, Coriopth is so far removed from the center of things that no one has laid claim to it, and no one has made much of a fuss about it, despite their mutual need for the crystals. None of you ever suspected that any of the others were even aware its existence—which, in our estimation, is a good thing. We would not have wanted a war to be fought over us."

"Understandable," said Kirk, "but what has any of this got to do with the _Enterprise_?"

"At the time that we stowed away aboard the various vessels mentioned, we changed ourselves into the tiniest insects possible. We were undetected and able to hide until we reached our chosen destinations. At the time of arrival, we changed ourselves into one of the life forms among whom we would be living. Although many races are represented within the Federation, its capital city and base of operations is on Earth, which is inhabited primarily by humans; thus I chose to become one.

"We Coriopthians have no gender differentiation. We are like cells, multiplying by dividing. I chose to become a female because I found other humans to be more responsive to a young female than to a male. I spent many weeks studying library tapes to learn all that I could about human civilization and all of the fundamental school subjects I would need in order to enter Starfleet Academy. Then, by using a computer, I fed informational background about Terri Tremaine into the Federation's data banks. (Every computer in the Federation now has records of my alter ego.) Once that was accomplished, I enrolled at the academy."

"Then the story you told me earlier—about your roommate Bess and Admiral Benton—was true."

"Yes, Captain."

"But what is the purpose for all of this, and what was the meaning behind the message I just received from Commodore Tunney?"

"Patience, Captain! I know this is a great deal to absorb all at once, but I must first tell you that another power we Coriopthians possess is telecommunication. _I _created that message."

"_You_ created it? But why?"

"You had passed my final test. The reason for my living among humans in the Federation for the last few years—and my companions' living among the Klingons and the Romuluns—was simply to learn which of the three cultures, if any, we would most like to associate with. You see, Captain, we Coriopthians have much to offer the Federation, and the Federation has much to offer us."

"Undoubtedly _you_ have much to offer, but what made you choose the Federation over the two Empires?"

"Compassion, Captain—that greatest of all human characteristics. A race with those tremendous qualities of love and affection—and particularly a willingness to help others—are something that we need in this cultural trade."

"If Coriopth isn't a planet, Teraminnor, then what does the Federation have to offer you?"

"We need space, Captain. Coriopth is overcrowded. We Coriopthians divide every five years, and we do not die until we attain _one hundred_ years. Therefore, our birthrate, so to speak, far exceeds our death rate. We need planets on which to live. It would not matter whether or not they were habitable by human standards, for we can change ourselves to adapt to any environment. Since that is the case, we can, if needed or desired, also live on planets already occupied by citizens of your Federation. We can become what they are. All we need do, aside from changing form, is to study and learn all that we can of their culture. Before a year has passed, we can adapt completely to their way of life and to our surroundings.

"If I am permitted to do so, I fully intend to live out the remainder of my life as Lieutenant Terri Tremaine, and I do wish to be an historian on Earth—if the Federation will allow it. During my months of study before I went to the academy, I became fascinated with human life, human history, human civilization and its beginnings. My example would serve to benefit thousands of young Coriopthians who might follow in my footsteps to human society; and it would teach them to adapt to being human.

"So you see, Captain, my purpose in creating the message from Commodore Tunney was to entice you to Starbase 15 so that I might indeed speak to the commodore; then, perhaps, in his own bureaucratic way, he can arrange for a Coriopthian ambassador to present our case before the Federation and the councils of Starfleet Command. I hope that by so doing, I have not inconvenienced you terribly. And I also hope that I might present myself, in my actual form, to more of your crew. Indeed, I would especially like to meet your Mr. Spock. I have picked up extremely strong brainwaves from him since the moment I began mentally scanning the ship. He is a fascinating individual—not human, though, I think."

Kirk smiled. "No, Teraminnor, his roots are Vulcan. His mother, however, is a Terran."

"Most interesting: two diversely different cultures, and yet . . . I really must find out how he does it—how he maintains a balance between the two."

"With great difficulty, I assure you," replied Kirk. "Well, 'Lieutenant Tremaine,' I'd like to arrange a meeting in the conference room for all of the department heads and chief officers, so that they can all meet you and become acquainted with a Coriopthian first-hand. Mr. Spock will be especially delighted, even though he won't be likely to show any outward signs of it."

"I quite understand, Captain," said Teraminnor, "and I feel confident that Mr. Spock's delight in meeting one such as I could be surpassed only by his affection for you."

The Captain blushed and smiled whimsically. "Of course, if I told him you said that, he'd wiggle his way out of it somehow."

"Naturally. If a Vulcan does feel emotion, he must never let it be known. So much have I gathered from Mr. Spock's brain waves."

"I'll accompany you to the conference room in about five minutes, Teraminnor, and I suggest that you go there as Lieutenant Tremaine. I don't want any of my officers going into shock just from seeing you walk into the room."

"I understand perfectly, Captain," said the Coriopthian, laughing. The sound was an almost bird-like trill. "I shall be most discreet about my real identity—for a few minutes, at least."

The conference room was buzzing with anticipation and all of the officers and department heads rose to their feet as Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Tremaine entered the room.

"Sit down, please, ladies and gentlemen," said Kirk, taking a seat next to the head of the long table, to the left of the head chair. Lt. Tremaine took that spot. "I have called you all here for a very specific purpose," began the captain. "Some of you have _seen_ Lieutenant Tremaine here since she boarded the _Enterprise_, and some of you have only _heard_ that she was on board. However, none of you is aware of who she really is and why she's really here. . . ."

"Captain," broke in Spock, "in regard to myself, you are mistaken. I have been aware of the lieutenant's true identity for the past two point three-six hours . . . ever since she—or it—began scanning my mind. We have, in a sense, been in communication with one another."

"What are ye sayin', Mr. Spock, callin' the lieutenant here an 'it'? That's hardly a fittin' description for such a lovely lass," said Mr. Scott.

There was a mumbled agreement around the table. Kirk smiled softly and Spock raised a slightly annoyed eyebrow. "Perhaps," said the Vulcan, "Teraminnor of Coriopth would prefer to show the officers what I am talking about—and what the Captain, obviously, has already learned."

"Gladly, Mr. Spock," said Lt. Tremaine, climbing onto her chair and standing upright. In the next instant, the lovely young human female began to melt . . . to shrink, until she was no more than two feet high; and, standing upon the chair, the top its head barely appearing over the table, was Teraminnor or Coriopth.

"What is it?" asked Sulu in a barely audible whisper.

"A Coriopthian, as I live and breathe," mumbled Scotty to himself. "A little purple box with yellow arms an' legs."

"That I am," said Teraminnor. "Mr. Scott, I trust that you are not _too_ upset by this sudden change in my form. It was quite necessarily a part of my test of human nature that I talk with you as I did. You passed the test with flying colors." Teraminnor climbed upon the table—with a little help from Captain Kirk.

"A test? But, by the galaxy itself, why?" Scott inquired with evident distress.

Teraminnor explained, in detail, everything it had told Captain Kirk earlier, including its hopes for placement of other Coriopthians on Federation planets.

"Fascinating," said Spock several times throughout the course of Teraminnor's tale. When the Coriopthian had finished expressing its plea for Federation assistance and alliance, Spock said, "During your scanning of my mind I picked up only fragments of your thoughts. I had no idea what you were doing on board the _Enterprise_ or why you were pretending to be a Starfleet lieutenant. I take it, then, that you, on the other, learned a good deal about _my_ mind."

"Yes, Mr. Spock. I did not mean to pry, as I had scanned the minds of nearly all the crew members, searching for that one emotion—compassion—and found it prevalent in the majority of the people whom I scanned. When I came to you, Mr. Spock, there was something different. . . ."

"Surely," spoke up Dr. McCoy, "you're not accusing Mr. Spock of lacking compassion. Why, even in his most Vulcan moments I've seen him—"

"No, Doctor. I am simply saying that Mr. Spock, because of who and what he is, disguises his compassion behind logic and reasoning. He has as much compassion for others as any of you here. Am I right, Mr. Spock?"

"I have never said anything to the contrary," replied the first officer.

"Why, you contrary old Vulcan!" teased Dr. McCoy. "One minute you're incapable of feeling emotion, and the next . . . you're just oozing with compassion."

"'Oozing,' Doctor?" queried Spock. He shook his head. "Compassion does not require a great display or outpouring of emotion; it simply requires an inner sympathy and desire to help. _Demonstration_ of compassion is achieved by actually following through and giving aid or assistance where needed. That is something of which I am quite capable."

Teraminnor interrupted what might have turned into a heated discussion by saying, "If there are no further questions, I would like to spend some time Mr. Spock. I believe that Vulcan mind meld would prove beneficial to both of us. Don't you agree, Mr. Spock?"

"Unquestionably, Teraminnor. It would be a most stimulating and enlightening experience, I am sure. I do have one question, however . . . ."

"Ask it."

"Is it difficult for a life form such as yourself to adjust to being human?"

"Not at all, Mr. Spock. It is a refreshing way of life—very invigorating, both physically and intellectually. I quite enjoy it."

"Well, everyone," piped up Captain Kirk, "shall we leave so that our two telepaths my telecommunicate with each other?"

In answer to the rhetorical question, all of the officers filed out of the room, shaking their head and commenting on the surprises that were in store for the Federation and its members . . . and especially for Starfleet Command. The next few hundred years promised to be very interesting indeed.

_CAPTAIN'S LOG, STAR DATE 5764.2_

_After spending a week in orbit around Starbase 15 and discussing the future of Coriopth with Commodore Tunney and—via the Federation's communications network—with Starfleet Command, it has been decided that Lt. Terri Tremaine (or, as she is otherwise known, Teraminnor of Coriopth) will be returned to her home . . . planet . . . to help with the preparations for the transporting of Coriopthians to various Federation outposts, Starbases and planets. The Coriopthian ambassador to the Federation, as she was recently designated, has been in contact with her two comrades living in the Klingon and Romulun Empires. They had agreed with her choice of the Federation at an earlier date when she had telecommunicated to them that we of the Federation were the best qualified to meet the needs of their . . . people. Following completion of her duties on Coriopth, the lieutenant will be transferred to Earth, where she will engage in the study of the history of Humankind._

"Transporter room to Captain Kirk."

"Kirk here."

"Lt. Tremaine is ready to transport, sir."

"I'm on my way."

As Kirk stood in the transporter room looking at the Starfleet officer/Coriopthian ambassador, he said, "Well, Lieutenant—Teraminnor—I hope we'll have the opportunity to see each other again. I know the chances are slim, since Coriopth is so far removed from the rest of Federation space, but . . . ."

"But, someday, Captain, you may be sent there to gather dilithium crystals, or we may run across one another later, when I am on Earth."

Secretly Kirk doubted it very much. The Federation was not in the habit of sending its flagships on cargo runs; and he didn't think that he and she would frequent any of the same places on Earth. He did not say these things aloud to Teraminnor, however—although he guessed that she could read his thoughts. He simply smiled and said, "I hope everything works out for you."

"Oh, it will. I trust the Creator."

"You believe in God?"

"Yes, Captain, I do. And I sense that a part of you does, too, although you are reluctant to admit it—even to yourself. You consider yourself a man of science." She smiled. "Open your heart and soul to the possibilities, Captain. You could not have survived as long as you have by luck and skill alone."

"You may be right about that," Kirk averred with a crooked smile and a nod. "So, I will wish you Godspeed. I have a feeling you're going to need it."

"My path from here on will not be easy," the lieutenant agreed. "I expect I will run into more of the hard-nosed types of humans—like Admiral Benton—who will not accept me, regardless of how human I may look. I will, however, search out friends and allies among those humans who are like you and Mr. Scott. And I trust the Creator will assist me in my efforts to find them."

"I expect He will," Kirk said. "Good-bye Teraminnor—until we meet again."

"Good-bye, James T. Kirk." And the sparkling of gold began once more.


End file.
